…….organise sensitization meeting with young people
By Bashir Hassan Abubakar
The United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) in collaboration with the Bauchi State office for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have commemorated this year’s international youth day with a sensitization engagement with young people on how to harness their skills and talents for sustainable development.
The meeting which attracted the participation of youth groups across the State was held on the 23rd August, 2024 in in Bauchi, the State capital.
In a keynote address during the activity, UNFPA official in Bauchi State Deborah Tabara said that Young people have boundless potential to inspire and change communities, state and the nation as a whole.
Tabara said that, with the theme for this year’s youth day: “From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development” , young people have the power to make our physical and digital world more just, equal, peaceful and safe.
The UNFPA representative commended the office of the Bauchi state Sustainable Development Goals for organizing the event as part of the governments effort aimed at empowering young people through education and entrepreneur skills acquisition, highlighting the significant strides being made to harness young people’s potentials.
Tabara said that UNFPA’s mandate is grounded in the International Conference on Population and Development and its Programme of Action, that calls for addressing the interrelationships between population, sustained economic growth and sustainable development, as well as poverty, hunger, health, education and gender equality in policies and programmes.
“On this International Youth Day, we celebrate the resilience, strength, and progress young people are making towards driving change in their communities and beyond. Their journey is one of overcoming obstacles and asserting their rights”.
“In the spirit of partnership and cooperation, UNFPA is committed to working closely with Bauchi state government to achieve its development outcomes for the growing population of young people, who constitute more that 35% of the 8,780684 population (2024 UNFPA population projection) in the state”.
“It is important to put the right investment into harnessing their potential towards an overall socio economic development of the state. As no state can achieve sustainable development without understanding the needs and deliberately investing inclusively in the youths and young persons living in our communities today including persons with disability to ensure that No One is left Behind”, said Deborah Tabara.
She said that the event presents another opportunity to reinforce the UNFPA mandate of ensuring every young person achieves their potential, leaving no one behind.
She also emphasized that young people digital skills, voices and experiences will add value to shaping the conversation around sexual and reproductive rights and services, pushing for a world where every young person, regardless of their background, can live a healthy, empowered life.
Tabara said that UNFPA’s mission is to deliver a world where all pregnancy is wanted, all maternal birth safe and all young people achieve their potentials.
Earlier in a welcome address, the Director General of the State SDGs Mrs. Lydia Shehu Gar said that the objective of the activity was to commemorate the 2024 IYD and also identify with the youth as one segment of the Bauchi State population that is a force to reckoned with.
Lydia Shehu said that no development effort can be achieved without carrying the youth along.
The DG then urged the youth to cascade the knowledge gained during the sensitization exercise to others whom were not opportuned to be at the program.
She also commended UNFPA for partnering with the SDGs office in organising the 2024 IYD.
There were goodwill messages from the State Commissioners of Budget, Economic Planing and Multilateral Coordination, that of Education and Information and Communication.
Our correspondent reports that three papers were presented by resource persons. The topics included: Entrepreneurship Skills Development and Youth Engagement, Leveraging Digital Marketing with Traditional Business, and Branding for Impact and Customer Relations. There were also practical demonstration vocational skills.